Neil Morris, known professionally as Drmngnow (stylised in all caps), is an Aboriginal Australian rapper, dancer, artist, and actor.
Drmngnow | |
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| Birth name | Neil Morris |
| Born | Victoria, Australia |
| Origin | Victoria, Australia |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instrument(s) |
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| Years active | 2018–present |
| Labels |
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Culture edit
A Yorta Yorta/Kaieltheban man,[1] Morris' stage name is a contraction of the phrase "dreaming now", referring to the Aboriginal concept of The Dreaming.[2]
Early life and education edit
Morris grew up on Yorta Yorta Country in Shepparton, a city in rural Victoria, Australia. He was first exposed to music via his parents' record collection that included Michael Jackson, Guns N' Roses, Midnight Oil, and Blondie.[3]
As a teen he discovered hip-hop, collating and trading cassette tapes of hip-hop artists Ice-T, N.W.A., Ice Cube, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and Wu Tang Clan. He and his friends also played basketball.[3]
After leaving school, he felt lost, feeling pain and grief and using drugs to numb his emotions. In 2001 he moved to the Melbourne's northern suburbs, and started studying for a Bachelor of Arts with a focus on creative writing, at the same time writing poetry. However he started experiencing thoughts of suicide by the end of 2002. He did a traineeship in conservation and land management and through his twenties travelled and worked seasonally in the rural sector.[3]
Music edit
Morris started making his own music when he started to play guitar in 2005, learning "Come as You Are" by Nirvana, with his brother, and first performed on stage in 2015.[3]
He uses his music as to explore culture, community and country, and provokes discussion and education around Australia's Indigenous history and future.[4] He sings in Yorta Yorta.[3]
In November 2022, he collaborated with other First Nations artists Emma Donovan, Emily Wurramara, DOBBY, and Optamus to create a song in memory of Cassius Turvey, a Noongar-Yamatji boy who had died at the age of 15 the result of an assault by a random attacker when walking home from school in Perth, Western Australia. The song, titled "Forever 15",[5] was played at Turvey's funeral on 18 November 2022 funeral[6] and released three days later on 21 November 2022.[5][7]
Discography edit
Singles edit
As lead artist edit
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Australia Does Not Exist" (featuring Philly, Adrian Eagle, Culture Evolves and Pataphysics) |
2018 | Non-album singles |
| "Indigenous Land" | ||
| "Ancestors" (featuring Kee'Ahn) |
2019 | |
| "We See You" | ||
| "Always Remember" (featuring Kee'Ahn, Paul Gorrie and Pataphysics) | ||
| "Survive" (featuring River Boy) |
2020 | |
| "Never Defeated" | ||
| "Get Back to the Land"[8] (featuring Emily Wurramara) |
Deadly Hearts: Walking Together[9] |
Other appearances edit
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "IndiGenius" (with Rush Wepiha) |
2019 | IndiGenius |
| "Medicine Weapon" (with Kosmic Force) |
2021 | Sound of a Weapon |
Awards and nominations edit
Music Victoria Awards edit
The Music Victoria Awards are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Drmngnow | Best Hip Hop Act | Nominated | [10][11] |
| 2019 | Drmngnow | Best Solo Artist | Nominated | |
| Drmngnow | Breakthrough Victorian Act | Nominated | ||
| Drmngnow | Best Hip Hop Act | Nominated | ||
| Drmngnow | The Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent | Nominated | ||
| 2020 | Drmngnow | Best Electronic Act | Nominated | |
| Drmngnow | Best Hip Hop Act | Nominated | ||
| 2021 | Drmngnow | Best Hip Hop Act | Won | [12] |
References edit
- ^ "Drmngnow: "I look at my art as responsibility"". Red Bull. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ Proudfoot, Jared (14 November 2019). "Eight Indigenous Artists Keeping Tradition Alive in Australia". Bandcamp. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Morris, Neil (29 August 2022). "Country rules everything around me". Kill Your Darlings. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "DRMNGNOW - The power of ancestors". Be Collective Culture. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ a b "DOBBY, Emily Wurramara, Kee'ahn, DRMNGNOW and more feature on song honouring the late Cassius Turvey". NME. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ Ho, Cason (18 November 2022). "Cassius Turvey funeral: hundreds mourn slain teenager and celebrate his life". ABC News. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
- ^ "Forever 15". Apple Music. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ "Get Back to the Land - single". Apple Music. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
- ^ "VA Deadly Hearts 3". JBHiFi. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
- ^ "Previous Nominess". Music Victoria. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "Previous Winners". Music Victoria. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "Music Victoria Awards 2021 Winners". scenestr.com.au. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.